Railway traffic controlling apparatus



March 18, 1941. R. A, McCANN 2,235,528

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 13, 1940 LPR Patented Mar. 18, 1941 main RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Ronald A. McCann, Swissvale, Pa., assignor; to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 13, 1940, Serial No. 352,379

4 Claims.

My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and it has particular reference to the organization of such apparatus into railway traflic controlling systems of the class wherein the operation of a railway trafiic controlling device, such as a railway track switch, is controlled by a control member located at a remote point.

My invention relates to improvements in railway trailic controlling apparatus of the type described and claimed in a copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 352,098 filed by John M. Pelikan on August 10, 1940.

It has been proposed heretofore to control the operation of a trafiic controlling device from a remote point by means of a polarized control relay connected in a control circuit supplied with current of one relative polarity or the other in accordance with the position of a control member located at the remote point. Such proposed systems incorporate traific looking for the polarized control circuit and also incorporate storage preventing means so arranged that if the control member is moved while the locking is efiective, the storage preventing means becomes effective to prevent the polarized control circuit from being conditioned to cause the control relay to assume a position of correspondence with the control member either at the time of movement of the member or subsequently when the locking is released, thereby requiring that the control member be in a position of correspondence with the device and the locking be ineffective in order to enable a movement of the control member to obtain the desired operation of the controlling device.

Remote control systems of the above described class incorporating means for preventing storage of control of the traflic controlling device in the event that the control member is operated when the locking is effective, generally require that the control member be operated from one position to the other within the slow release period of a relay which when released functions topre- 45 vent storage of the control of the device, that is, it removes the polarized control relay from control by the control member if the locking is efi'ective when the control member is moved to a position, out of correspondence with the controlling device. When it is desired. to employ as the control member an ordinary acting control lever of the three-position type having contacts closed in one or the other of two ext eme :positions but openv at the mid or neutral position 155 intermediate the two extreme-positions, this time limitation within which the contnol member must be moved is at times: undesirable and an accidental hesitation in the mid position of the lever, or a very slow lever movement by an operator, might enable the slow release relay to release and thereby prevent the controlling device from being controlled to its desired position when the lever finally is moved to the new position. This loss of control resulting from release of the storage preventing relay when the lever is moved too slowly, has substantially the same effect upon the operation of the device as if the locking were effective, and hence it might cause the operator to become confused and conclude that the traffic locking is effective whereas in fact the loss of control is the result of unnecessarily slow lever movement.

In view of the above-mentioned and other important considerations, it is an object of my present invention to provide a novel and improved control system of the above described class wherein the apparatus is so arranged that a slow operation of the control member will not cause loss of control of the railway traific controlling device.

Another object of my invention is to incorporate into a remote control system of the above described class, means for preventing storage of control without necessitating movement of the control member to be completed within a limited time.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved system for controlling a railway tr-affic controlling device from a remote point in such manner as to prevent storage of control of the device, and wherein control of the device is established through the medium of a manually operable control member of the ordinary acting type having contacts which are selectively closed in one or the other of two extreme positions and which contacts are open when a lever is in a mid or neutral position intermediate the two extreme positions of the lever.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a novel and improved system for controlling a railway trafiic controlling device by a control member located at a remote point.

The above-mentioned and other important o jects and characteristic features of my invention which will become readily apparent from the following description, are obtained in accordance withmy invention by reversibly energizing a polarized switch control relay over a control circuit governed by two repeater relays, one for the control member and the other for the controlling device. These repeater relays are of the two-position type adapted when deenergized to remain in their last operated position, and these relays cooperate to control another or storage preventing relay in such manner that the other relay and the polarized control relay are energized if the locking is ineffective when the two repeater relays occupy corresponding relative positions, and the polarized control relay is caused to operate from one position to the other over a control circuit which includes a front or stick contact of the storage preventing relay.

I shall describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view illustrating a preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character TS designates a railway tralfic controlling device which is adapted to be moved between a normal position and a reverse position by means of suitable operating mechanism controlled from a remote point. As herein shown, device TS is a railway track switch which connects the rails of a main track X to the rails of a diverging track Y. The operation of switch TS is effected by means of a suitable switch operating mechanism SM which may, for example, be an electric or electropneuinatic switch machine. Switch mechanism SM is controlled by suitable control means such, for example, as by a polarized relay WR which in turn is controlled from a remote point in a manner to be explained shortly, and it is believed sufficient to state that when relay WR is energized by current of one relative polarity to close its front contact 4 and its normal polar contact 5-6, switch mechanism SM is controlled to operate the switch to its normal position as illustrated in the drawing, and when relay WR is ener ized by current of the opposite relative polarity to close its front contactl and its reverse polar contact 5-'l, the switch mechanism is controlled to operate switch TS to its reverse position.

The reference character J designates a circuit controller operatively connected with switch TS. Circuit controller J comprises movable contact members 8 and 9 which occupy normal positions, as shown in the drawing, when the switch is in its normal position, and which contact members are operated by the switch to reverse positions When the switch occupies its reverse position. Circuit controlling contacts l0 and II are engaged by members 8 and 9, respectively, to form. contacts 8Hl and 9H in the normal position of the members, while in the reverse position of the members contacts l2 and I3 are engaged by members 8 and 9, respectively, to form contacts 8--l2 and 9--I3.

The reference character ITR designates a detector locking relay comprising a track relay connected in a track circuit provided for the section of track including switch TS. The reference characters ZLLSR and ZRLSR designate approach locking relays arranged to release when a train approaches the detector track section, and which relays are controlled by circuits which form no part of my present invention but which 4 may, for example, besimilar to the circuits shown apparatus. The reference character V designates a control member comprising a manually operable lever having a normal position N and a reverse position R. Lever V may, for example, be a non-interlocked switch lever of an interlocking machine positioned at a point remote from switch TS; and it is provided with contacts selectively closed in accordance with the position of the lever. Each contact of lever V bears a reference character N or R, indicating the position of the lever in which such contact is closed. For example, contact l5 of lever V bears a reference character N to indicate that this contact is closed when the lever is in its extreme normal position, while contact I6 of the lever bears a reference character R to indicate that the latter contact is closed when the lever occupies its extreme reverse position. Both contacts l5 and iii are open when lever V is moved to its mid or neutral position intermediate its normal and reverse positions. Lever V functions, in a manner to be explained in detail presently, to control the supply of current of one relative polarity or the other to a polarized control circuit provided for switch control relay WR, provided that traffic conditions adjacent switch TS are favorable for permitting operation of the switch.

A two-position relay WA of the type, such as, for example, the magnetic stick type, characterized by the fact that the relay remains in its last operated position when deenergized, is provided to repeat the position of lever V. As shown, relay WA is a two-winding relay eifective when its normal winding is energized to operate its polar contact members to their normal or lefthand positions, as viewed in the drawing, and effective when its other or reverse winding is energized to operate its polar contact members to their reverse or right-hand positions. One winding of relay WA is energized over an obvious circuit passing from lower terminal IT, as viewed in the drawing, of battery SB through contact [5 of lever V, the right-hand terminal of relay WA, the normal winding of relay WA, and the mid terminal of relay WA to center terminal l8 of the battery. When the lever is in its reverse position, a circuit is completed for relay WA passing from terminal I! through lever contact l6, left hand terminal of relay WA, and theother or reverse winding of relay WA and mid terminal of relay WA to center terminal l8 of the battery.

The reference character WPR designates a switch repeating relay controlled by circuit controller J to repeat the position of switch TS. Relay WPR also is of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, and in the normal position of switch TS, relay WPR is energized by current of what I shall term normal polarity over an obvious circuit including contacts 8Ill and 9-4! of controller J, and relay WPR accordingly operates its polar contact member 2! to its normal or left-hand position, as viewed in the drawing, wherein normal polar contact 2|22 is closed. In the reverse position of switch TS, contacts 9-l3 and 8-42 of circuit controller J are closed to pole change the current supplied to relay WPR, and as a result relay WPR. is energized by current of reverse polarity and operates its polar contact member 2| to its reverse or right-hand position wherein reverse polar contact 2I-23 is closed.

A looking or storage preventing relay LPR also is provided to prevent storage of control of the switch in the event that lever V is moved during the interval that operation-of theswitc'h is unsafe due to tra-ffic conditions adiacent the switch. Locking relay .LPR is: .sufficiently slow releasin to bridge theinterval required for the-polar contact members of relays WA and WPR to operate from one position to the other.

Having thus described the apparatus embodyingmy invention, I shall explain the manner in which it operates and shall :at the same time trace the circuits over which the various parts of the apparatus are controlled.

In the normal condition of the apparatus as represented :in the drawin ilever V, repeater relay WA, control relay WR, switch repeating relay W193- and switch "TS occupy corresponding normal positions. The detectoriandapproach locking relays 1TB, ZLLSR and ZR-LSR. also are onergizedandarei-n their inefiective'orinactivelockin positions with the result that the previously mentionedcontrolcircuitforrelayWRisnompleted and re ays WR and LPR; are :suppliedwith current of normal polarity over a-normal control circuit whichextends from terminal I! of battery SB through normal polar contact 25-46 of relay WA, the winding of relay LPR, normal polar contact 2'|2B of relay WA, normal polar contact 2 l-2-2 of relay WPR, front contacts 29, and 3| of relays ZLLSR, ZRLSR and ITR, respectively, and the winding of relay WR to mid-tap terminal t8 of. battery SB.

With the apparatus in its normal condition,

the switch may be controlled to its reverseposition by'rreversinglever V. When the switch control lever is moved out of its normal position, contact [5 of the lever opens to .open the energizing circuit of relay WA, but relay WA retains its polar contact members in their normal or last operated positions, as pointed out previously, so that if the. lever is held in its-mid position wherein both norm-a1 and reverse contacts l5 and 1-6 are open, contacts 25 26 and 27-28 of relay WA continue to complete'the previously traced normal circuit of relays and LPR, and as a result such relays are maintained energized'.

When lever V is moved into its reverse posi tion wherein contact I6 :is closed, the reverse winding of relay WA is supplied with current over its previously traced reverse circuit and relay WA accordingly is caused to operate its polar contact members to their reverse positions. In this condition of the apparatus, relay WR is supplied with current of the opposite relative polarity over a reverse control circuitwhich extends-frommid terminal I8 of battery'SB through the winding of relay WR, front contacts 3.1, 3!] and 29 of relays ITR, 2RLSR. and ZLLSR, respectively, normal polar contact 2 I22 of relay front contact .36-of relay LPR, reverse polar .contact -34 of relay WA, the winding of relay LPR, and reverse polar contact 33-32 of relay WA to terminal IQ of battery SB. The reversal of current polarity in the circuit of relay WR of course causes that relay to operate to its reverse position a-nd thereby control switch machine SM to operate the switch to its reverse position.

The movement of switch TS from its normal position actuates controller J to open contacts 8Hl and 9-ll and thereby open the previously mentioned normal energizing circuit of relay WPR, but relay WPR retains its polar contact member 2| in its last operated normal position, as pointed out previously, to retain closed the reverse operating circuit of relay WR so that as a result relays WR and LPB-are retained energized. When the switch is operated to its full reverse position and controller J closes its reverse contacts 8.;l2 :and-9l 3, relay WPR is energized by current of reverse polarity and accordingly operates its polar contact member 2| to its reverse position to close reverse polar contact 2|-23 and complete a reverse circuit for relay WR which --di-ffers from the previously traced reverse control circuit of relay WR only in that reverse polar contact 2 l-.23 of relay WPR replaces front contact 36 of relay LPR and normal polar contact 2|-2-2 of relay WPR.

With lever V, repeater relay WA, control relay WR, switch TS and switch repeater relay WPR in corresponding reverse positions, as assumed above, the/switch may be operated back to its normal position by restoring lever V to its normal position. The operation of the apparatus when lever V is restored to its normal position is believed to be obvious from an inspection of the drawing taken in connection with the foregoing description of the operation of the switch from its normal to its reverse position, and further detailed description is believed to be unnecessary.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that relay WR. is reversibly energized over a circuit controlled by control lever V in such manner that the circuit means remains energized during the interval that the lever is being moved from one extreme position to the other. It follows, therefore, that there is no limitation placed upon the time Within which the lever must be moved in order to retain control of the switch control relay, but rather the lever may be moved as slowly as it is desired.

In the event that the apparatus is. in its normal condition, as shown, and the train approaches the switch to release approach locking relay ZLLSR, or-ZRLSR; or if the train occupies the section including the switch so that relay [TR releases, the. previously traced control circuit of relay W8. is opened and relays WR and LPR become released Under such assumed conditions, if the operator moves lever V to its reverse position, the locking provided by the approach and/or detector locking relays prevents operation of the switch at this time and also conditions the apparatus so that when the locking subsequently .becomes ineffective, control of the switch isrestored to the operator only after the lever is restored to its position of correspondence with the switch. This protection against thestorage of control of the switch is effected upon movement of the lever when the locking is effective, due to the fact that if relay LPR is released when rela-y WA follows the movement of the lever and assumes a position out of correspondence with :the switch as indicated by relay WPR, the circuit over which relay WR is cause-d to operate when the relays WA and W-PR are out of correspondencev and which circuit includes front contact 3 6 of relay LPR, cannot be completed when the'locking becomes ineffective. It follows, therefore, that after the locking becomes ineffective, relays LPR and WR remain deenergized until such time as the lever is restored to its position of correspondence with relay WPR, and when that happens the previously traced norm-a1 energizing circuit of relay WR is completed and relays LPR and WR become reenergized. With relays LPR and WR- energized, the operator may operate the switch to its reverse position by setting lever'V into its reverse position, as pointed out previously.

It is obvious that if the switch and control lever are in correspondingly reverse positions, the movement of the lever when the locking is effective conditions the apparatus to remove relay WR. from control of the lever after the looking becomes ineffective, unless the lever is restored to its reverse position in correspondence with the position of the switch. When this is done the apparatus is then conditioned to enable the operator to control the switch to its normal position by setting the lever in its normal position.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that apparatus embodying my invention provides means for controlling a trafiic controlling device from a remote point in such manner that storage of control is prevented by means which is independent of the time of operation of the remote control lever. It follows, therefore, that the operator cannot lose control of the device due to a slow lever movement so that if a lever move ment is not effective to cause the operation of the device, the operator is assured that such operation is not prevented because of a slow lever movement, thereby decreasing the possibility of confusion regarding the cause of the loss of control of the device.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway traffic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a manually operable control member for controlling a polarized control relay into correspondence with the member, a railway traffic controlling device controlled into correspondence with said control relay, lock means rendered active or inactive in accordance with traffic conditions adjacent the device, a first twoposition magnetic stick relay reversibly operated into correspondence with said control member, a second two-position magnetic stick relay reversibly operated into correspondence with said device, and means controlled by said two two-position relays for reversibly energizing said control relay over a circuit which may be closed when said lock means is inactive and which if closed remains closed when said member is moved intermediate its control positions, said last mentioned means including storage preventing means controlled by said lock means and active, after said lock means becomes inactive, to prevent operation of said control relay into correspondence with said member if said member is out of correspondence with said device when said lock means becomes inactive.

2. In combination, a manually operable control member for controlling a polarized control relay to a position of correspondence with the member, lock means effective when active to lock said control relay against operation, a railway trafi'ic controlling device controlled to a position of correspondence with said control relay, a first two-position magnetic stick relay controlled to a position of correspondence with said device, a second two-position magnetic stick relay controlled to a position of correspondence with said member, and circuit means controlled by said two magnetic stick relays for reversibly operating said polarized control relay in response to a movement of said member to a position out of correspondence with said device if and only if said lock means is inactive at the time of movementof the member.

3. In combination, a manually operable control member for controlling a polarized control relay to a position of correspondence with the member, lock means effective when active to lock said control relay against operation, a railway traflic controlling device controlled to a position of correspondence with said control relay, a first two-position magnetic stick relay controlled to a position of correspondence with said device, a second two-position magnetic stick relay controlled to a position of correspondence with said member, another relay, circuit means including the winding of said other relay and effective when said two magnetic stick relays are in corresponding relative positions when said lock means is inactive for normally energizing said polarized control relay, and circuit means including a front contact of said other relay and effective when said second magnetic stick relay is caused to operate to a position out of correspondence with said first magnetic stick relay when said lock means is inactive for operating said polarized control relay to a position of correspondence with said control member.

4. In combination with a railway traffic controlling device, a polarized relay for controlling the operation of said device, a contact responsive to trafiic conditions adjacent said device and closed only when conditions are favorable for operation of said device, two relays each of the two-position type that remains in its last operated position when deenergized, means controlled by said device for operating a first of said twoposition relays to a corresponding position, a two-position manually operable control member for operating the second of said two-position relays to a position of correspondence, another relay, a circuit including the winding of said other relay and said trafiic controlled contact for normally energizing said polarized relay with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said two two-position relays occupy corresponding relative normal or reverse positions, and another circuit including a front contact of said other relay and said trafiic controlled contact for energizing said polarized relay .with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said second two-position relay is caused by an operation of said manually operable member to operate to its normal or reverse position out of correspondence with said first two-position relay.

RONALD A. MCCANN. 

